Lurking Within
(Part 1 of the trilogy)

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Chapter 07: Bloody Sunsets and Golden Vodka

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He slammed his hand onto the dark oak, never mind the table breaking or the splinters embedding into his hand, he was too furious with that... that demon's escape to even notice such trivial matters. He had never felt such strong emotions before. He certainly do not approve of this. Ivory eyes traveled around his room before he turned to the multicolored sky outside. Making a decision, he grabbed his preferred weapon, a pair of twin kodachis, before heading to the window.

It was time to hunt.

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The pink haired kunoichi of Konoha smirked at the wide eyed expression on her former teammate's face. Growling, Itzal pawed at the string from his neck. The constant pawing was what brought Naruto's attention from Itzal's amber eyes to a collar around it's neck. A thin black string ran from Itzal's neck to Sakura's wrist, where it was wrapped several times. The string was almost invisible to the naked eye, but it was definitely there to show who the possessor of such a beast was.

"Even after generations, this binding is most uncomfortable." Itzal complained as he continued his scratching.

She gave a firm tug to focus Itzal's attention, whom had stopped after spotting an oblivious rabbit not too far away, back to Naruto. "He is Itzal?" The demon gave a brief glare at the blonde, for stating the obvious, before he crouched towards the rabbit; the thrill of a hunt hummed in his blood. "Kyuubi asked if your damned soul is still serving your mistresses." Naruto replied after a minute's pause before adding, "like a dog."

Itzal froze and his deadly stare turned back to the man standing beside his mistress. "Like a dog?"Sakura issued a warning, afraid that he might actually pounce on Naruto, but was met with a barking laugh. "Damn kit hasn't changed a bit!" Patting Naruto on the back, perhaps a bit too hard, Itzal continued to laugh in mirth. However, in a second's glance, he jumped away from his current spot. The jump had swung Sakura to his back where she sat, legs on one side and both hands tightly clamped on the connected string. Where he once stood now stood the ANBU captain, Hyuuga Neji. Sheathing his kodachis, Neji eyed the demon before him cautiously. "Are you harmed, Naruto?" The blonde shook his head and gave a confused look back to the Hyuuga. "Neji, what are you doing? They meant no harm."

"For the protection of Konoha, every threat is to be eliminated." Meeting emerald green, his own pale eyes narrowed in determination. "Haruno Sakura, you are a threat and you will be eliminated." Sakura gave a blank stare before burst out laughing. A brave mortal, stupid but brave, dared to threaten her? Oh how he underestimate her strength. "Let's teach him a lesson or two." Itzal suggested through their private link, smirking at the thought of possible blood shed. "If a fight is what you want, you shall get one Hyuuga." He had lunged for her first and with the first move in motion, Itzal danced along with Sakura's guide. Amber eyes looked towards the sky and his smirk widen at the sight of the slowly darkening sky.

"Mortal, it would seem that your end is imperiable."

Itzal laughed and, before Neji's very eyes, disappeared. Skidding to a stop, the ANBU captain scanned the area for any signs of life.

"Let's just go, Neji!" Naruto called in vain. This didn't seem like a sparring match, more like a death match, to him. Knowing he would not be able to stop both of them, especially with Sakura and Itzal together, Naruto headed back to Konoha for an extra pair of hands. 'Be alive when I return, Neji!' Naruto prayed and fueling more chakra to his feet, he trekked back to the village.

"It would seem that your only savior abandoned you." Sakura voiced. Her form appeared out of the shadows and Neji watched, wary of any surprise attack from behind. "Oh dear Neji, how much of a coward do you think I am? Do you really think I would attack you from behind?" Lifting her head in pride, she tugged on a string from her wrist to reveal the wolf from the shadows. It would seem as if Itzal literally melted away from the shadows. Caught between his powerful jaws was a rabbit, still twitching with a hint of life. The blood splattering on to the ground was the only noise that was heard as they stood in defense. The sky had darkened, save for a beam of light from the glow of the moon. The shadows seem to love Sakura. It hugged her form lovingly as she delicately made her way to him. The demon behind her made no move and, instead, decided to fascinate himself with the rabbit he had caught. The link stretched and gave no word of stopping.

A hand reached to touch his hair and he tried to pull back, only to be unsuccessful. "Now now Neji, I mean no harm so you should not deny me of such pleasure." He was very aware of the sultry look she gave him but he paid no heed to it, only concentrated on the few tendrils of hair caught in her grip. She reached for the leather string that held his high ponytail together but moved back a couple of paces when the owner pointed his kodachi at her. Smirking, Sakura made her way back to her companion.

"I will occupy your very thoughts and I will not go so easily."

Blowing a mocking kiss, the demon wielder disappeared back into the shadows along with her wolf. A rustle from the trees however caught his eye and two men burst from the forest. Naruto and Kakashi had returned, half expecting blood and gore everywhere, but was instead met with a stony prodigy. "Neji?" Without a word, the said prodigy pushed his way to return back to his sanctuary. This hunt might have gone in her favor but she wouldn't be so lucky next time.

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Jumping out from the shadows, Sakura shared a brief laugh with Itzal. "Damn mortal needs to learn his place among us." Itzal growled, bunching his muscles to jump to a higher branch where there would be no disturbance. Sakura patted the sleek fur in reassurance before casting her gaze at the moon. "Where is Lemuria, Itzal?" It would've been comical at the sight of the wolf stumbling but the importance of the subject kept her from doing so. "It would seem that we have to head there soon." Finding a more comfortable position, the demon turned his focus on his mistress. "What do you know of the two clans?" The young kunoichi pondered this for a while, her eyes caught by the moon. "I only know of the two gods, Odin and Thor, and the tragic story of Rased and Meruhesae."

"Ah, so you know of Lilith." Grimacing, Itzal pulled her closer to him. "Lilith was a strange one, I'll let you know that much. I was not her protector, fortunately. Freyr and Laverna were her two protectors. She was born with both already residing in her. No one knows what had happened after her massacre until nearly a generation later, when the first mistress appeared. She said that she was chosen by her ladyship, Lilith, as the next successor. Legend has it that Lilith had gotten sick of the degradation of the world and had chosen to slumber under heavy guard instead. Lemuria is also known as the den of the tainted souls; the den to those abandoned by the demon or angel clans." Itzal smirked, "It is also rumored to be Lady Lilith's final resting ground."

"Soon you will acquire your second companion, Eurydice. She will be your day as I am your night. I do not know why the mistresses only have one companion but rumor does have it that Lilith only wanted people to remember her legacy, not take over. Perhaps she didn't want a heiress to legacy she had paved. Just her name, the thought of her, brought many strong warriors to their knees."

This time when Itzal paused, his tone changed. "I was not the first demon chosen to be the guardian of the mistresses. Melanthios was the first protector but he soon died in combat. If this shall ever happen, you must find a demon to take my place." Sakura nodded in compliance and a cold trickle in her mind indicated Itzal had returned to his primary residence. "I can not promise complete obedience, no demon can. I can only control my bloodlust to a certain limit. You must detach yourself from such trivial things as emotion, just like Lilith had. It will only serve to kill you in the end."

She did not need to be told twice. Sasuke, the sole survivor of the Uchiha massacre, had tore her heart out and left in its place a blood reminder. She had loved him so much, only to be constantly pushed aside. She wanted him to stay. She was willing to sacrifice everything, she was willing to help rebuild his clan, for god's sake! However, he had pushed her away and left; he had chosen to become missing nin instead of loving her. Scoffing, Sakura turned towards the moon for comfort. They were under the same sky, but they were still a world apart, it would seem. Shaking out of such gloomy thoughts, she turn to head back but a stir in the wind made her stand alert.

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Deep violet eyes stared from the deep thicket of green, eying the human before him. He was fooled for a second that she was a mere mortal, a meal perhaps, but once the moon shone on her it revealed the girl's true identity. Every demon was able to recognize each other by a special signature or symbol. A symbol glowed on the girl's forehead, indicating she contained one of his kind. Tilting his head in amusement, he swung his tail around territorially. Lunging from his hiding place, he aimed for her throat.

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Jumping from her place, she saw a massive blur land where she resided before. Sakura growled a low warning. The moonlight caressed the creature's dark orange fur rippled with black stripes. It was a little surprising that the being in front of her was a demon, though not of Itzal's kin. "You have quick reflexes, mortal." Chuckling, the demon bowed in greeting. "My name is Adonis and I believe you have one of my kind residing in you." Tilting his head in confusion, Adonis nodded to her. "I do believe that the race of Odin and Thor had died out to the point of near extinction. Even if their race still existed, you wouldn't be found near here. Who are you?"

A pure ripple of lust pass through her bloodstream, this was what Itzal had been waiting for. She tried to maintain her composure but it was hopeless with Itzal thrashing restlessly inside of her. It has been a while since he met one of his kind and he did not want to waste this opportunity of a potential fight. His bloodlust was still evident, having said that the slaughter of a mere rabbit or two was not enough. "Ah, I see that your demon would like a fight?" Issuing a prideful smirk, he puffed his white furred chest in a challenge. "Then I will show you, my dear one, how a true demon fights!" As he prepared for another lunge, he was met with deadly amber eyes. Quickly twisting out of danger, Adonis stared at the demon in front of him. The tiny girl he was talking to had disappeared and instead, left a bloodthirsty wolf in her wake. What had he done?

"A rogue demon?" He barked a fur-raising laugh before flashing him a sight of his own razor sharp canines. "Come little cat, I shall play with you. You will satisfy my thirst."

Horrified shrieks, screaming of unexplainable torture, haunted the inhabitants of Konoha as they dreamed of a demon shrouded in shadows with eyes the color of golden vodka; poisonous and bitter.

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A/N: Not sure how much readers I have to this fic and if I am to continue. If there are any suggestions, they are welcomed and I am trying to update much more frequently.